Marshall swim team takes part in Maroon and Gold Invite

October 1, 2012

Marshall's Kylie Vermeire won two individual events in the Maroon division of the Maroon and Gold Invite Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis to help the Tiger swim team to a ninth-place finish in the 13-team division.

Vermeire won both the 200-yard freestyle and the 500 freestyle on Saturday. Her time in the 200 freestyle (1 minute, 59.61 seconds) was her best of the season, and her 500 time (5:20.91) wasn't far off.

"It's really exciting for her. She had a great season last year, and she had a good offseason with club as well," Marshall head coach Nicole Peterson said of Vermeire's performances. "She has some goals, I'm sure, that she's working for and trying to achieve, and she's just really turned into a competitor, too."

Peterson said she likes to bring the team to the Maroon and Gold Invite each year to give the swimmers an opportunity to compete against tough competition and also let them swim in the same pool where the state meet is held.

Peterson said it was the first time at the U of M Aquatic Center for about seven of her young swimmers.

"It's just so exciting for them to be a part of that and to have that opportunity to swim in a big facility and a fast pool," Peterson said. "Hopefully it gets them excited for what the future can bring for them."

The Tigers added a few top-10 finishes to Vermeire's two wins.

McKenzie Vermeire was fifth in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:16.95. She also took fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:03.15).

Ashley Dunn added an eighth-place finish for Marshall in the 100 butterfly (1:05.01), and Abby Surprenant joined McKenzie Vermeire in the top 10 of the 100 backstroke with a ninth-place finish (1:05.05).

Marshall also had two top-10 finishes in the relays. The team of McKenzie Vermeire, Surprenant, Dunn and Kylie Vermeire took sixth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:44.77) and fifth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:49.34). Both times were their best of the season.

Woodbury won the overall team title in the Maroon division with 309 points, finishing seven points ahead of East Ridge. They were followed by St. Michael-Albertville (296), Hutchinson (281) and Farmington (217). Marshall finished ninth with 149 points.

The Tigers are back in action Tuesday at a meet at Mound-Westonka High School.